One Evening
by Tensai Zofjya
Summary: [Shohoku] [non-yaoi] It all happened one evening...Drama / Supernatural / Romance / Angst


**Title: **One Evening_**  
**_ **Written by: **Tensai Zofjya  
**Rating: **PG  
**Genre: **Supernatural / Drama / Romance / Angst

**Disclaimer: **Slam Dunk © Takehiko Inoue / I.T. Planning, TOEI Animation. Kaede Kagome is a character that I invented, though.

**Author's Notes: **This is the first time I wrote something like this. This is the first time I wrote a love story, so expect this to be pathetic. The idea for this fic suddenly popped into my head one typical school day (It was actually in the middle of a Math quiz.). You see, Kaede Rukawa's personality had always intrigued me...In this story, one girl (OC) tried to make a difference in his life...Kaede Rukawa is slightly OOC in this fic...Comments and constructive criticism are very welcome since I have very little faith in my writing skills...

* * *

**Prologue.**

The Shohoku High School Gym was teeming once again with aspiring young basketball players. Beads of sweat trickled down their faces after circling the gym for already eight times. Prior to that, they had a scrimmage, where the freshmen had to play against the sophomores and seniors. After the tenth lap, everyone looked as though he could not take it anymore. Their knees felt as though they would fall any moment. Everyone took deep breaths as they made an attempt to run the eleventh lap. One of them even collapsed on the floor. 

Seeing this, the captain of the team, a tall guy with a hulk figure, began to assemble the whole team and dismissed them from today's training. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as each member followed their captain out of the gym. One of them stayed however. It was he whom everyone considered the super rookie, a freshman by the name Kaede Rukawa.

He didn't think of himself as one of the best players in the Kanagawa prefecture. Many other players surpassed him in his abilities. It was his ultimate dream to play for America, the considered basketball capital of the world. If he wanted to play for the American team, he "must first become the best player in Japan," he remembered his coach telling him. The Inter-High School Basketball Championships was his only chance to prove himself.

A strange music suddenly filled the whole gym. Why, that tune! He recognized the tune almost instantly. He heard it during his music class just this morning. It was the waltz tune from Sleeping Beauty, composed by the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky. No! But that would mean that someone else was inside the gym. He hoped that it was not a member of the basketball team especially that loud-mouthed, red-haired goon who did nothing else but to boast that he was the basketball genius.

He heard someone sneeze. To be sure, the sneeze came from a corner up the balcony. His grip on the ball tightened as the music continued to play in the background. If only someone would shut that damn radio off, he said to himself. 

"I'm sorry," he heard the faint voice of a girl. "Did I disturb you?"

Rukawa merely stood. His eyes were fixed on the girl. He felt as though he had seen the girl before. He knew that she was a freshman too just like him.

"Oh!" he heard her exclaim. She had come down the balcony and was walking towards Rukawa.

"Because you sleep too much," she continued, "you hardly even recognize your seatmate."

"Sorry about that," Rukawa finally spoke with his lips trembling.

He remembered the incident this morning. His Algebra teacher caught him sleeping during class. Enraged, the teacher woke him up.

"Mr. Rukawa," he remembered his teacher yelling at him," since you know so much about our lesson today, why don't you tell us the answer for number six of page 428 of your book?"

The girl beside him tapped her fingers on Rukawa's desk and secretly showed to him the answer to the problem.

"X is equal to twenty-seven, Sir," answered Rukawa.

The whole class was surprised. Rukawa took his seat and resumed his sleeping quietly.

That same girl was now standing right in front of him. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable because he had not even said a word of thanks to her for helping him.

"My name is Kaede Kagome," the girl introduced herself.

"I am Kaede, too..." he blurted out, "...Kaede Rukawa..."

Kaede Kagome stood a few inches than Rukawa. She had a pale white complexion. She had shiny black hair that extended a few inches from her shoulders. She had pale blue eyes and her lips were crimson red. Kaede Kagome looked like a delicate Chinese porcelain doll.

The music still continued to play in the background. Rukawa was already getting quite annoyed. 

"Shut that damn radio off!" he yelled half-loudly.

Kagome smiled. It was a mysterious smile. It was a smile that would make you melt at that very spot. She replied softly, "I can't. It isn't the radio that is playing the music."

"What is it then?"

"A ghost."

Rukawa smirked. Ghosts? Was this girl serious? Of course, there is no such thing as ghosts. He suddenly let go off the ball. Kagome's enigmatic smile sent shivers up his spine.

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"N-n-nothing," he stammered as he tried to pick up the ball. _Damn, _he thought, _if she would just go away and leave me alone for practice_.

Kagome walked away from him and sat on one of the benches near the wall. Rukawa watched as she opened a small leather-bound notebook and began to write. His eyes turned away from her and he started to dribble the ball. He practiced a few jump shots. 

Kagome stared at Rukawa from her seat. Tears welled up in her eyes. She quickly pulled her handkerchief and wiped her tears off quickly. _It is embarassing, _she thought, _for Rukawa-kun to see me like this_.

"Don't you ever feel lonely?" she asked him.

No answer.

"You are always alone," she continued. "Don't you ever feel lonely?"

"No," came Rukawa's cold reply.

"Maybe not," she muttered softly, "because you always have something to do, isn't it?"

No answer.

"If I tell you a story, will you care to listen?"

"Maybe," he answered quickly. "If your story doesn't make any sense, I might fall asleep..."

He jumped high above the ring and dunked the ball.

_To be continued..._

**Author's Notes: **Pretty lame, isn't it? I know I had a pretty boring start for this fic. As for my other fic (1...2...3...Hacking), if you've ever read it, I'll try to continue it soon. This fic has not yet been extensively proofread, because I'm so preoccupied with so many ideas right now so...anyway, please review! ^_^

_09.25.02_

_16.45.23_

_09.27.02_

_20.43.24_


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